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I would make that whole wall covered with curtains. You can get several long rods or do a clothes-line type hanging, but hang the whole length of the wall. have the top of the rod or line hit just below that vent duct and you should be able to cover the windows pretty well...using a few curtains, you can just push them to the side when you want window light to come in.

I like kgenesius's idea because it will make the wall look less awkward and provide you with a nice backdrop to your bed. I also want to offer my condolences to you for having such an unfortunate configuration to work with! The big windows are awesome because they let in lots of wonderful light, but oi vey...the builder must have been smoking some major wacky weed when they came up with the whole duct over the window setup!

Whew! That is a challenge! If you have woodworking skills, you could create a box valance that mounts flush with the top of the window (and bottom of the ducting) and then add a wall of curtains behind it to make the space look like one large window.

That's what I'd do too: I'd get one long rod and a pair of curtains, mount the rod just under the duct, and make the curtains look (when closed) like you are covering one very large window that spans the whole wall. It would solve your problem and give your room a very rich look.

Penny,

I'm against the idea of trying to make that wall look like something it's not. Not only would it be odd and funny looking to try and hang anything there with the duct, hanging one long curtain would just look like you are trying to hide something. Besides, having to deal with shoving curtains back and forth between a bed and two heavy nightstands would get old fast.

I say go with it. Get some gorgeous roman blinds or a shade that will install inside the window trim--duct problem solved. I suggest going with a color or fabric that either has a lot of texture/pattern or color as to look very interesting and become a design element itself, or go with a color that will match your wall color--with a blackout lining--so as to diminish the impact of the different sizes of the windows. Theshadestore.com (no I don't work for them) has a great options and they show you how to measure your windows to install inside the trim.

Good luck!

By the way, have you ever thought of painting the duct a cool color? Remember, it's easier to play something up than to play something down. It's only when things remain in the middle---not accentuated and sort of concealed---that they look funny in a room. Go with it!

And if you have more questions please feel free to contact me at adesignerfriend@gmail.com!

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I might rethink the red art above the bed...it appears to emphasize the lack of symetry in the windows and it does not appear centered between the windows...a mirror hung higher and horizontally may be better if you want something there. If you use two panels, each swept to the outside of the window and hung from rods on the inside of the window frame, it may give some balance. I would be wary of painting the duct because sometimes that can make the ceillings looks low, rather than make it blend in...expecially if you don't have high ceilings to begin with. Just my humble opinion.

There is nothing architecturally appealing about this room. As monica said, I only wish I knew what the developer/builder was thinking. low tech.

Moving forward, I agree 100% with darcidoodle, first thing I though when I saw this too. Maybe even, pending on budget, create a second beam/look to run parallel with the current one. Sheet rock as we know is inexpensive, with metal studs, corner bead, etc this project should only run a few hundred dollars. Once the build out is complete, do as most suggested and run curtains (white) wall to wall behind the bed. Paint the side walls a light dove grey, it will match your exsisting furniture well. I can see this coming together quite well if you go that route. It will become much more defined and not defined by the irregualr windows.

Since I am in Manhattan, wall to wall carpet is an automatic NO, so that is a tough spot to tackle, literally.

Concentric?

If treating those two windows as one (as suggested), make sure to use lined drapes, or else the illusion will fall a little flat.

I'd go with the Wall-to-Wall draperies, with a cornice box that runs to the ceiling.

What you have going for you is that the windows are the same height,. (small favors) I would begin by centering the bed on both windows. I know that means one side table won't fit. But, since black is such a dominant color, you could substitute a narrow bench for the bed table. Then, you have two ways to go. Use roman shades the same color of the wall to make everything blend in. or, use roman shades in a vibrant, contrasting print. Then add a wall hanging of the same print (preferably on artist canvas stretchers) in between the windows. Then, add some small pillows of that same print on the bed. I think most people will see the fabric and not notice how different the windows are.

Tough problem. The first problem in my mind is that the room feels off balance. I agree with the previous poster about centering the bed with respect to the windows. I would then replace the cellular shades with a roman shade. These can be mounted inside the window frame just as your present shades are, but will give you more of a finished look with a decorative valance to cover the window treatment headrail. Good luck!

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"All you could ever want to know about window treatments"

I kind of like the idea of emphasizing the akwardness and going a little crazy with this room. You could do a type of Mondrian effect on the back wall and ceiling. Make grids with paint on the wall and use solid color shades on the window. Paint the beam and some other rectangular or square shapes on the ceiling as well. Personally I would go a neutral color palette or else it might get too over-powering. The other walls would be better left one color too. Your furniture would work well with this theme because of its straight lines.

You can't change the position of that bed and keep both nightstands, can you?

i also started thinking Mondrian after i read the duct painting idea by adriennebreauxdotcom. but i think it would be great with bold colors. paint the duct yellow. the shade on the right in black. the other bright blue. paint the table on the right red. WOW!

WOW, indeed.

Looking at the pick more, I'd center the bed (ditch one night stand) in the larger portion of wall between side wall and beam, and cover the wall behind it with floor to ceiling (opaque) drapes (in effect, negating that larger window altogether).

Then treat the only window showing (the one on the right) with an inside mount Roman shade of the same material as the drape.

If you don't want to go all Mondrian...

Paint the duct an alternative color. Paint a strip of equal width across the ceiling an equal distance in from the opposite wall to balance out the duct, and extend the painted stripe down to the top of the blinds.

If you want to soften the whole strip effect, then you could stencil some pattern in white over the strip and the duct, or glaze over the stripe and duct. Basically you're creating "beams" of paint, but one is painted, not 3D.

Alternatively, paint a stripe over both windows up to the ceiling and across the ceiling -- encompassing the duct also. Do this in a color where you can find matching sheers and hang the sheers over each window (but not as a wall of sheers -- you'll curtain each window individually). This would break up the matchy-matchy effect of the first idea.

I'd do either of these in a paler color rather than a bold color, but choose a color you love.

Still going to be unbalanced. The more I look at this, the only option is to create a second beam. Curtains, roman shades, red painted nighttables, the bold colors are just going to make it worse. Solid ideas but not going to do it.

There are not design issues here, there are serious architectural issues.

Please I beg the owner of this property to get a quote on building out the 2nd beam, and box valance across. Under the TWO beams put some white ikea linen curtains, $20.00 for the whole wall, and some dove grey/blue paint BM for $25 a gallon perhaps.

I know build out and construction sometimes worries people, but please keep in mind you are not removing or opening up anything, you are simply building out, kind of like building a built in bookshelf.

If you're gonna do that, just make the beam into a soffit connected to the wall on the right. Don't add another beam, because the windows are neither the same size nor centered, so a second beam will not do too much to balance out the whole room.

Beautiful inside mount roman shades.

If you want to go for a more full drapery installation, I would run a kirsh traversing rod at the ceiling and have one pair of drapes that flank the larger window (but don't have drapery that completely covers the wall) and on the smaller window I would have a stationary panel, also on kirsh ceiling mounted track. You could do an interesting pinch pleat like a goblet pleat.

This way your one window can function, but when open look stationary and the other window gives the appearance of being functional, though it is not. The end result will look like you have three stationary panels.

Have a translucent panel cut and mounted so it covers the right window and the entire wall next to it. Be sure to get a material that looks "finished" and diffuses the light well. IF it weren't prohibitively expensive, I'd suggest building a translucent box that comes out maybe 6 inches from the back wall, so you have a volume to play against the duct. In other words, make the problem go away.

I would then get rid of the red hanging and center the bed under the window. This, too, means one less night table - maybe two, if the other one is so wide that it ruins the effect, and whoever sleeps on the left will hate me - but it balances the room and makes the entire area to the right of the beam into something that makes visual sense.

I would get rid of the red painting and put use something soft and interesting to cover the window behind the bed. I'd look for something really interesting, since it will be the focal point of your room.

Play up the right wall - maybe a very large textile on it (suzani's are over-done, but they're cheap and interesting if you shop eBay carefully. Alternatively, think about an interesting, colorful carpet runner the width of the space.

Even if you don't put up the panel, I would center the bed under that left window and give the whole area on the right an identity.

This is a room you'll need to play with, but getting away from the idea of centering the bed might help, as would smaller night tables.

Whatever you decide, please let us know!